Materials for powder-based additive manufacturing processes

ABSTRACT

A multi-component micro-pellet useful as a consumable material for making objects by powder based additive manufacturing is disclosed. A method of making said micro-pellet is also disclosed. An object made by using said micro-pellets is also disclosed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is directed to materials for use in additive manufacturing processes. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to materials for use in powder-based additive manufacturing processes.

BACKGROUND ART

Additive Manufacturing consists of several processes that produce solid three dimensional (3D) objects from a computer model by building up the object in a layer-by-layer manner. Powder-based Additive Manufacturing processes use powders as the consumable materials, where the powders are deposited and then modified. For example, a layer of powder may be deposited and then modified by selected exposure to electromagnetic radiation, or selected deposition of liquid, which may be followed by exposure to electromagnetic radiation, or electron beam.

One example of a powder-based additive manufacturing process is the selective laser sintering process. In the selective laser sintering process a part is constructed one layer at a time inside a thermally controlled process chamber, which is held a temperature slightly below the melting point of the polymer system being used. A laser beam is raster scanned across the surface of a layer of powder, turning on and off to selectively sinter or fuse the polymer powder particles into a shape defined by a computer which has converted a 3D CAD image into profile slices equal in thickness to the powder layer thickness.

The powder is deposited in thin layers, in the range of approximately 0.05 to 0.30 millimeters deep, uniformly across a piston. After a given layer has been fused, the piston is lowered and a new layer of powder is added on top of the just completed layer. The new layer is then fused, based on the defined shape, and in this manner a three-dimensional object can be fabricated from multiple layers.

In Selective Beam Sintering, the powder is deposited then scanned by a directed energy beam. The energy beam is most commonly a laser but electron beams are also used. In Selective Inhibition Sintering, the powder is deposited, a sintering inhibitor is then selectively deposited, and the powder is then exposed to electromagnetic radiation. In High Speed Sintering, the powder is deposited and then a radiation absorbing liquid is selectively deposited and then the powder is exposed to electromagnetic radiation. In 3D Printing, the powder is deposited and then a binder is selectively deposited. In a mask based process, the powder is deposited and then the powder is exposed to electromagnetic radiation through a mask. In Laser Engineered Net Shaping, the powder is entrained in a gas jet at the same time as the energy beam is applied.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

Conventional powder-based materials currently used in powder-based additive manufacturing processes are typically precipitated from solution or ground from pellets. Both methods are expensive and work only with a limited number of polymers. Additive packages are substantially limited in some cases to being only thinly coated layers applied by means of mechanical mixing or coating. These limits, result in corresponding limits in the types of polymeric materials that may be used with commercial success in powder-based additive manufacturing processes. As such, there is a need for new powder-based materials that increase the type and variety of polymeric materials used in powder-based additive manufacturing processes.

Technical Solution

This invention is directed to powder-based materials for use in powder-based additive manufacturing processes. As discussed below, the powder-based materials include multi-component micro-pellets, which increase the type, variety and combinations of polymer materials that can be successfully used in powder-based additive manufacturing processes.

The powder-based materials may be used in any suitable powder-based additive manufacturing process. Examples of suitable powder-based additive manufacturing processes include selective laser sintering, selective inhibition sintering, high speed sintering, and other 3D printing processes that construct parts using deposited powders as a feed material in an additive layer-by-layer manner, including mask based sintering process. For example, the powder-based materials may be used in a selective laser sintering system, such as disclosed in Deckard, U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,143.

The process for manufacturing the powder-based materials of this invention involves forming multi-component fibers from multiple polymer pellets, and then reducing the size of the fibers (e.g., cutting the fibers) to form micro-pellets. In one embodiment, the process includes the steps disclosed in Deckard, U.S. Pat. No. 7,794,647, which is incorporated by reference.

As shown in FIG. 1, the process for manufacturing the powder-based materials initially involves converting multiple polymer feed materials, such as feed materials 10 and 12, into one or more fibers having a shell-core arrangement. For example, feed materials 10 and 12, which may be polymer pellets, may be co-extruded to form fiber 14 having shell portion 16 and core portion 18. In the shown example, feed materials 10 and 12 are compositionally different from each other, where feed material 10 is used to form shell portion 16, and feed material 12 is used to form core portion 18. In alternative embodiments, the shell-core fibers may be derived from three or more feed materials.

The step of converting feed materials 10 and 12 into fiber 14 include the sub-steps of spinning (i.e., extruding and solidifying the polymers), and optionally, drawing fiber 14, which consists of stretching fiber 14 to orient the polymeric molecular structure. Fiber 14 may also be heat set, which crystallizes the polymers at a controlled temperature while allowing a controlled amount of contraction in the axial dimension.

Controlling the parameters while creating fiber 14 from pellets 10 and 12 allows a manufacturer to control the development of the microstructure of the polymers in shell portion 16 and in core portion 18. Many properties of the resulting fiber 14 are dependent on the final the microstructure of fiber 14, including, but not limited to, the melting behavior of the polymers. Controlling the melting behavior of the polymers effectively increase the range of the temperature window of the Selective Laser Sintering process. A larger temperature window leads to a more forgiving process, higher yields, better 3D objects, and better throughput.

Suitable average diameters for fiber 14, referred to as diameter 20, range from about 10 microns to about 250 microns. In some embodiments, shell portion 16 at least partially encases core portion 18. In further embodiments, shell portion 16 completely encases core portion 18. In one embodiment, shell portion 16 has an average volume ranging from about 5% to about 50% of an average volume of fiber 14.

The terms ‘core portion’ and ‘shell portion’ of a fiber (e.g., fiber 14) refer to relative locations of the portions along a cross-section of the fiber that is orthogonal to a longitudinal length of the fiber, where the core portion is an inner portion relative to the shell portion. Additionally the term ‘core portion’ and ‘shell portion’ can be applied to the resulting micro-pellets created after the fiber undergoes the size reduction step, as discussed below. Unless otherwise stated, these terms are not intended to imply any further limitations on the cross-sectional characteristics of the portions.

While fiber 14 is illustrated with a shell-core arrangement having shell portion 16 extending around an outer perimeter of core portion 18, in other embodiments, the shell-core arrangement for fiber 14 may have any suitable hi-component fiber arrangement, such as those produced by Hills Inc., of Melbourne Fla. Example geometries include islands in the sea, wedges, wedges with hollow core, stripes, concerted rings (multi shell/core), snow flake and logo fibers. Most commonly, the cross-sections of these bi-component fibers is generally uniform along the length of the fiber but fibers of varying cross-section may also be utilized.

Additionally, core portion 18 may vary from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. For example, in some embodiments, the core portions may be located off-axis from the central axis of fiber 14. In additional alternative embodiments, the geometries of core portion 18 may be non-cylindrical (e.g., oval, rectangular, triangular, and the like), and/or hollow to modify the physical characteristics of the resulting extruded and drawn fiber 14, and thus, the resulting micro-pellets 22, and resulting 3D object (not shown in FIG. 1) that are produced when the micro-pellets 22 are used by powder-based, additive manufacturing systems.

After fiber 14 is formed, micro-pellets 22 may then be formed from fiber 14 with a size-reducing process. In one embodiment, fiber may be size reduced by cutting fiber 14 to lengths, as illustrated by cut lines 24 along fiber 14, creating substantially-cylindrical shaped micro-pellets 22, each having a ratio between the length of the micro-pellet 22 (referred to as length 26) and the diameter of the micro-pellet 22 (same as diameter 20). Examples of suitable ratios between length 26 and diameter 20 range from about 1:2 to about 3:1.

In some embodiments, micro-pellets 22 may be tumbled as an additional step to round the edges of micro-pellets 22. In other embodiments, rounding may be accomplished by other mechanical means.

In alternative embodiments, the size reduction step is accomplished by grinding, crushing or fracturing. Furthermore, the size reduction step may also be accomplished by selectively dissolving a portion of fiber 14. In another embodiment, the fiber 14 may be initially cut and then ground using conventional grinding techniques.

In a further embodiment, multiple fibers 14 are aggregated to a tow or yarn prior to the size reduction step. In another embodiment, multiple fibers 14 are aggregated into a tow or yarn, and further at least partially encased in a sacrificial material to aid in the size reduction step. In this embodiment, the sacrificial material is removed after the size reduction step. The sacrificial material maybe a water soluble polymer or other polymer that can be dissolved in a solvent without creating deterioration to the shell and core materials.

After the size reduction step, the resulting micro-pellets 22 have cross-sectional dimensions corresponding to those of shell portion 16 and core portion 18. Accordingly, each micro-pellet 22 has a shell portion 28 and a core portion 30. In alternative embodiments, fiber 14 and micro-pellets 22 may have three or more portions.

Advantageous Effects

Another aspect of this invention is better control of the size and size distribution of the resulting micro-pellets 22. By selecting appropriate combinations of fiber diameter 20 and cutting aspect ratio as defined above, the resulting size of micro-pellets 22 can be closely controlled. The quality and mechanical properties of 3D objects created by using polymers in powder-based additive manufacturing processes have been shown to be dependent on the size and size distribution of the powders used in the process. This invention allows for good customization and control of both the size of the resulting micro-pellets 22 and their size distribution. In one embodiment, a single modal size distribution is used. In another embodiment, a bi-modal or higher size distribution is used.

As discussed above, the materials of shell portions 16 and 28 (shell material) and core portions 18 and 30 (core material) are compositionally different. In some embodiments, the core and shell materials each include one or more semi-crystalline base polymers and, optionally, one or more additives. For example the one or more additives or modifiers may be incorporated in varying amounts to modify the mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermodynamic, processing aesthetic or biocompatibility properties of the base polymers. In alternative embodiments, the core and shell materials each include one or more amorphous base polymers and, optionally, one or more additives.

Examples of suitable semi-crystalline base polymers for use in each of the core and shell materials include polyamides, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyetheretherketones, polyoxymethylene acetals, polytetrafluoroethylenes, polypheneylene sulfides, polybutylene terephthalates, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof. Suitable polyamides include aliphatic nylon polyamides, such as nylon 6, nylon 6-6, nylon 6-10, nylon 6-12, nylon 10, nylon 10-10, nylon 11, nylon 12, and combinations thereof.

Suitable polyethylenes include low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, and combinations thereof. Suitable polypropylenes include isotactic polypropylenes, syndiotactic polypropylenes, branched and linear variations thereof, and combinations thereof. Unless indicated otherwise, the base polymers for the core and shell materials are not intended to be limited to these listed polymers.

Examples of suitable additives and modifiers include coloration inhibitors, lubricants, nucleating agents, viscosity thickeners, antioxidants, antistatic agents, bio-degradative agents, biocompatibility agents, bio-preservatives, colorants, fragrances, and stabilizers against hydrolysis, thermal degradation or UV degradation, mineral fillers, glass or carbon fibers, lubricants to improve wear and friction, plasticizers, fire retardants, electrically conductive materials, and other polymers to toughen or otherwise affect the base polymer.

In some embodiments, the shell and core materials may be polymers from different polymer families. In other embodiments the shell and core materials may be polymers from the same polymer families, but with different molecular weight distributions. In yet other embodiments, the shell and core materials may be from the same polymer families, but with different structures, such as different types of branching, different levels of branching, isotactic or atactic iso-chemistry, random co-polymer or block co-polymer arrangement, or different levels of side group substitution. In other embodiments, the shell and core materials may be polymers from the same polymer families, but with different additives such as nucleated grades or non-nucleated grades, filled grades or un-filled grades, or other additives in one material and not in the other.

For example, the shell and core materials may be selected to have the same base semi-crystalline polymer, with the shell material including the base polymer with addition of a nucleating agent to modify or raise the re-crystallization temperature of shell portion 16 relative to core portion 18. The micro-pellets 22 created from fiber 14 thus retain a shell portion 28 and core portion 30 with the same modified re-crystallization temperatures.

These types of melting point modifications are desirable in semi-crystalline polymers intended for use in powder-based additive manufacturing processes since they allow step-wise or two-stage re-crystallization of the materials. This minimizes shrinkage of the process build bed, both prior to the beginning of the build, when the process bed is being brought up to temperature, and after the commencement of the build. The higher strength and higher temperatures semi-crystalline powders such as polyetheretherketone have proven difficult to process using the powder-based additive manufacturing process because of their higher shrinkage rates. As such, two-stage crystallization desirably reduces distortions, internal stress and cracking when processing the higher strength, higher temperature semi-crystalline polymers. In an alternative embodiment, the core and shell materials may be reversed to have the nucleated polymer in the core portions 18 and 30 and the non-nucleated polymer in the shell portions 16 and 28.

In one embodiment, shell portion 16 and core portion 18 are selected to have a combination of high stiffness as determined by an appropriate elastic modulus, and core portion 16 is selected to have high toughness as determined by a Charpy or Izod impact test. By selecting the core and shell materials for different properties, in this case stiffness and toughness, the resulting part that is formed by using micro-pellets 22 in a powder-based additive manufacturing process can have a tuned or optimized set of properties to meet specified performance requirements not achievable by other available feed stock for powder-based additive manufacturing processes.

In an alternative embodiment the shell and core materials in the above may be reversed to have the stiff component in the core portions 18 and 30, and the tough component in the shell portions 16 and 28. In yet other alternative embodiments, other pairs or sets of materials can be selected for differing portions of micro-pellet 22. This allows the final 3D object to be built from the micro-pellets 22 using one of the powder-based additive manufacturing processes or systems with a desirable mix of properties.

In another embodiment, the shell and core materials are selected to provide a tradeoff between a given mechanical, electrical or magnetic property and cost. For example the shell material can be selected for high stiffness as described above while the core material can be selected for low cost, allowing the development of micro-pellets 22 that provides the final 3D object after being processed using one of the powder-based additive manufacturing processes with the stiffness required by the application at a minimum cost.

The shell materials and/or the core materials may also include additional additives. In many cases, this is preferable to having additives throughout the particle. For example, in many cases, additives are needed at the surface of the particle but not in the middle of the particle, such as flame retardant in the shell material, conductive filler in the shell material (e.g., for anti-static, emf shielding, and radar absorption), heat stabilizers in the shell material, light stabilizers in the shell material, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the resulting micro-pellets 22 formed from one or more fibers 14 may then be fed to a powder-based additive manufacturing system (e.g., system 32) as powder-based materials. Using micro-pellets 22, system 32 may then build 3D objects (e.g., 3D object 34) in a layer-by-layer manner, where the build parameters may be modified to accommodate the different compositions of the shell and core materials of micro-pellets 22. As mentioned above, this increases the type and variety of polymer materials that can be successfully used in powder-based additive manufacturing processes.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a process for manufacturing powder-based materials.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a process for building 3D objects with the powder-based materials using a powder-based additive manufacturing process. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A consumable micro-pellet for use in a powder-based additive manufacturing system, the consumable micro-pellet characterized by a core portion extending along a longitudinal length of the consumable micro-pellet, the core portion compositionally comprising a first thermoplastic material and a shell portion extending along the longitudinal length of the consumable micro-pellet and at least partially encasing the core portion, the shell portion compositionally comprising a second thermoplastic material that is different from the first thermoplastic material, characterized by the consumable micro-pellet having an average cross-sectional diameter ranging from 10 microns to 250 microns, an average ratio between the length of the micro-pellet and the diameter of the micro-pellet that ranging from 1:2 to 3:1, and further characterized by the consumable micro-pellet being configured to be melted and used to form a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional object, the layers at least partially retaining cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable micro-pellets.
 2. The consumable micro-pellet of claim 1, further characterized by the first thermoplastic material being a first semi-crystalline polymeric material selected from a group of semi-crystalline polymers consisting of polyamides, polyethylenes, including low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene and high density polyethylene, polypropylenes, including isotactic polypropylenes, syndiotactic polypropylenes, branched and linear variations thereof, polyetheretherketones, olyoxymethylene acetals, polytetrafluoroethylenes, polypheneylene sulfides, polybutylene terephthalates, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof and the second thermoplastic material characterized by being a second semi-crystalline polymeric material selected from the same group of semi-crystalline polymers.
 3. The consumable micro-pellet of claim 1, further characterized by the first thermoplastic material being a first polyamide material selected from a group of polyamide polymers consisting of aliphatic nylon polyamides, such as nylon 6, nylon 6-6, nylon 6-10, nylon 6-12, nylon 10, nylon 10-10, nylon 11, nylon 12, copolymers thereof and combinations thereof, and the second thermoplastic material characterized by being a second polyamide material polymeric material selected from the same group of polyamide polymers.
 4. The consumable micro-pellet of claim 1, further characterized by at least one of the thermoplastic materials having one or more additives, modifiers or common plastic reinforcement materials incorporated to modify the mechanical, electrical magnetic, thermodynamic, processing, aesthetic or biocompatibility properties of the base polymers.
 5. The consumable micro-pellet of claim 1, further characterized by one or more of thermoplastic materials being an amorphous thermoplastic material.
 6. The consumable micro-pellet of claim 1, further characterized by the core portion and the shell portion arrangement in the micro-pellet being an alternative bi-component portion arrangement.
 7. The consumable micro-pellet of claim 1, further characterized by the micro-pellet being three or more portions.
 8. The consumable micro-pellet of claim 1, further characterized by the first thermoplastic material being a first semi-crystalline polymeric material having a first peak crystallization temperature, and wherein the second thermoplastic material is a second semi-crystalline polymeric material having a second peak crystallization temperature that is greater than the first peak crystallization temperature.
 9. A three-dimensional object built with a powder-based additive manufacturing system, the three dimensional object comprising, a plurality of solidified layers each produced with a powder-based additive manufacturing system from a plurality of consumable micro-pellets each characterized by having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion compositionally comprises a first thermoplastic material, and wherein the second portion comprises a second thermoplastic material that is different from the first thermoplastic material; and further characterized by at least a portion of the plurality of solidified layers at least partially retaining cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the first portion and the second portion of the consumable micro-pellet.
 10. The three-dimensional object of claim 9, further characterized by the consumable micro-pellets having bimodal or higher order size distribution.
 11. A method of manufacturing a consumable multi-component micro-pellet characterized by the steps of first spinning a multi-component fiber with an average cross-sectional diameter ranging from 10 microns to 250 microns, said fiber characterized by having a first portion extending along a longitudinal length of the fiber, the first portion compositionally comprising a first thermoplastic material; and by having a second portion extending along the longitudinal length of the fiber, the second portion compositionally comprising a second thermoplastic material that is different from the first thermoplastic material and then cutting the fiber to an average length between 0.5 times the diameter of the fiber to 3 times the diameter of the fiber.
 12. The method of manufacturing a consumable micro-pellet of claim 11, further characterized by the spinning step being followed by a drawing step prior to cutting.
 13. The method of manufacturing a consumable micro-pellet of claim 11, further characterized by the cutting step being with the fiber being in the form of tow of at least 1,000,000 dTex.
 14. The method of manufacturing a consumable micro-pellet of claim 11, further characterized by the addition of a rounding step following the cutting step. 